Reciprocity
by Xtin2000
Summary: Epilog to Iron Man 3, Steve visits Tony and Pepper in the clinic after the arc reactor sugary and explains to Tony what it means to be an Avenger.


As soon as SHIELD could finally localize Tony Stark in a very expensive, private, high-end clinic in Malibu, California, a very worried and exasperated Steve Rogers immediately departed for said destination. The rest of the team was also on their way as far as he knew, however it looked like Steve was going to beat them all to it.

He arrived at an oasis of peace and serenity. A hill-top clinic surrounded by a beautiful rose garden and with an expensive looking café at the entrance. At said café, at a table shielded from the sun sat a rather tired looking Virginia 'Pepper' Pots. The moment she spotted him, she waved at Captain America eagerly.

"Steve!" she greeted happily as he approached. She got up and gave him a warm and tired hug. "It's good to see you." she said, as she looked up. Her eyes seemed as though they had aged since last time he saw her, which had only been a few months before. Even without reading the file SHIELD reluctantly handed to him, he could have clearly seen that this beautiful woman had been through hell recently.

"It's good to see you too, Pepper." Steve's quiet voice held warmth and compassion as he still held her at arm's length and looked her over with concern. "Are you alright?" he asked finally, cautiously.

Her tired eyes radiated relief and honesty "I am getting there Steve, it's been a crazy few weeks but thankfully it is all over now. I actually feel quite human again and my desire to have super powers has been positively quenched." He searched her eyes for a moment and felt reassurance at the sincerity he found in them. He hardly knew Pepper, but after the kind of ordeal she had been through that also hardly mattered. He would be able share in her pain and relief even if he had never set eyes on her before.

"You are an amazing woman Pepper. I want you to know that I am here for you, if you ever need to talk. I know from experience that it is very difficult to talk to anyone about these things that we go through, not only because of security clearance issues." he said earnestly, locking eyes with her.

Wordlessly Pepper hugged Captain Rogers again. "Thank you Steve." she murmured into his shoulder eventually. Smilingly he let her go after a while.

"Now" he said, taking a breath "if it isn't too much trouble, I would really like to see Tony."

* * *

Pepper had shown him to the recovery room where Tony was moved to after his arc reactor was finally safely removed. The operation had already been several days ago, however, in order to be sure no shrapnel was hiding somewhere in an artery he was placed under observation for several days. In any case, he had quite some recovering to do, not only from his recent operation.

As Steve walked into the room he was immediately greeted with an enthusiastic smile "Steve! Good to see you!" Tony was currently in the hospital bed, still hooked up to a number of machines.

Seeing his friend lying there in the flesh, after all the insanity of recent events, having him smile at him, like nothing had even happened and even hearing his usual _starkness_ in the first words he said brought out all of Captain America's exasperation, and instead of answering in kind and completely forgetting about his manners, Steve answered "Would you please tell me what the hell you were thinking Tony?!" Without waiting for Tony to even answer his question or voice his probable hurt at being greeted in such a way, Steve went on "I mean threatening an internationally renowned terrorist on public television is something I am learning to expect from you, but giving him your home address? Tell me Tony, what is it you thought was going to happen?! And after your home was consumed by the Pacific ocean, you being lost without even a trace, the tabloids already declaring your demise, did you even consider calling one of us for help? Or were you so clouded by your desire to seek revenge it entirely slipped your mind that we even exist? Do you have any idea what we went through watching your mansion falling down that cliff? I don't mind telling you, I almost lost it!"

"Look, Steve-" Tony tried to appease his team-mate, but Rogers would have none of it, and cut in.

"-Without even giving each other the heads up, Clint, Natasha, Bruce and I met at the bluff that used to be your home, none of us really believing what we saw on the news. Do you have any idea how devastating it was to know that you were either dead or in mortal danger and not being able to help in any way? And then to top it all off, you decided to take on the Mandarin entirely on your own! What part of 'we are a team' did you not understand? Do you have such little faith in us, that you rather try to save Pepper on your own than involve any of us?!"

"Damn it Steve, give it a rest!" it was Tony's turn to cut in "I realize this whole endeavor was completely insane and most of it very unnecessary and my fault! I can't help it ok? By the time Happy got hurt I hadn't slept in weeks! I was a ruined train wreck after New York and all I could think of was shutting the Mandarin up once and for all. His fear campaign was a pain in the ass and once he hurt my friend I only saw red. Had I known the consequences of my actions I would never in a million years have done them! Pepper was terribly tortured and mutilated because I wasn't there to protect her! This entire thing was totally my fault ok! And to answer your question, had I known Pepper was in danger _before _the bad guys caught me it actually would have occur to me to call you guys for help, but I only found that out when it all hit the fan already! By that time it was far too late to make that call. Do you understand that?" Tony looked exasperated in a way Steve had never seen him before. There was a lot of guilt and self loathing hidden in his eyes.

Steve lost most of his rage and now found himself sitting down at a chair opposite Tony, looking intently at his hands, all the while letting Tony's words wash over him. In a much calmer voice than before Steve asked his friends cautiously

„So you being hurt and alone after barely surviving a 30 feet drop into the ocean, taking on one of the worst criminals on this planet isn't reason enough for you to call us in?" Steve was genuinely curious about what his friend would say to this, even though the question sounded rhetorical.

Irritated, Tony replied „Damn it Steve, I couldn't involve you guys in this, it was my fight! This wasn't an Avenger's mission, there was no way I could justify what I was doing even to myself! I am not like you guys, going from one battle to the next and just brushing it off, deliberately planning my next move. I work on impulse, for better or worse. And if you must know, I've been having panic attacks and flash backs from our battle with the Chitauri. I had no freaking clue what to do next each step of the way, only that I had to stay away from Pepper until this guy was dealt with. She was nearly killed because of me! I invited a terrorist to our house! It never even occurred to me that this maniac would kidnap her or that he was after the president. For the most part I was in it for personal revenge and that is hardly something to call the _worlds mightiest heroes_ for!" he used the phrase ironically.

After Tony finished there was silence and Steve felt his attitude completely shifting at this point while observing his dear friend and team member. The revelation he was just granted blew him away. He exhaled deeply and finally looked up. What he saw was the same he had just been privileged to hear. A very honest and guilt laden Tony, who very firmly believed every word he had just said. That made this whole scenario that much more painful.

"Oh Tony, is that really what you think?" when Steve spoke this time his voice was raw, low and much more quiet. "You think just because you get yourself into some kind of trouble, that you are not entitled to call for help? Is it that you think you do not deserve our help? Or are you ashamed to ask for it?

I don't doubt for a second that you would have made that call had you known Pepper or the president were in danger, what really bugs me is that you wouldn't do it because of yourself. You really think any of us had a good night's sleep since New York? Why do you think yourself so different from us?! None of us are perfect, but each of us deserves the help of the team, no matter in what kind of tight spot they find themselves in. Especially when they were just attacked, are hurt and suffer from post traumatic stress! You wouldn't hesitate to help one of us, why do you think we would? You deserve our help Tony, you have no idea what an asset you are to us. You almost single-handedly saved New York and all our lives a few months ago by almost sacrificing your own. How can you still think you are not our equal? So what if you don't have training, that makes you even more spectacular! Please Tony, understand that we will always be here for you and we will always be on your side, no matter in what kind of trouble you find yourself in. You have no idea how important you are to us all Tony, and we couldn't handle your death, especially if we would have been able to prevent it. Please Tony, promise me you will call us next time, no matter what is going on. Not being able to help because my friend doesn't trust me, or he thinks he doesn't deserve my help is by far the worst torture I can think of."

Steve had used the word friend, which made Tony look up. He held Steve's eyes for the briefest moment before he slumped into the pillows closing his eyes. This he didn't expect. He felt no judgment about his actions from Steve other than neglecting to call him. Even after he admitted that it was all his fault! and after he admitted to having nightmares! Steve treated it all like the most normal thing in the world. Maybe that was what it was like to be a soldier, the PTSD becomes a fact of life and no one judges you for it.

„I really don't know what to say Steve." Tony really doesn't, he felt so accepted and understood, it totally baffled him but also very subtly warmed his heart.

Steve must have sensed what Tony was thinking, he may also have see the glint in his friends eyes, because he put his hand on Tony's shoulder and squeezed ever so lightly, saying „I'm glad you're ok Tony, I don't know what we would have done, had we lost you. You can include me into any kind of plan or scheme or senseless play-it-by-ear mission you find yourself in, I would be honored to help Iron Man in any way I can and I also trust him to always have my back."

Tony's eyes grew heavy, it seems he wasn't quite ready to handle these kinds of emotions just yet. With a tired smile he said "Thank you Steve...just, thank you."

Smiling at his friend Captain America said "Rest Tony, I'll see you later." He got up from his chair and, with one last look at his comrade and brother-in-arms, he turn and let the exhausted man to rest some more.

* * *

AN That's all folks! Reviews please! :))) What ever you want to say, I want to hear! Thank you :)


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